Clip device



March 17, 1970 E. J'. SOLTYSIK CLIP DEVICE Filed ma 51, 1968 3,501,117 Ed d J h s lty (iLIPhDEVICE mun n 0 si C icago Ill. assignor to Illinois Tool Works, Inc., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 31, 1968, Ser. No. 733,619 Int. Cl. F161 3/22 US. Cl. 248-71 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCIiOSURE The present invention relates generally to snap-on type chps for mounting elongated elements such as conduits and the like. This application discloses a spring clip of the above-mentioned type which may be stamped and formed from flat stock such as sheet metal. The disclosed clip device is of one piece construction having a snap-in type shank portion for interlocking with one side of an apertured workpiece and an oppositely disposed 'base portion adapted for coaction with the opposite side of the workpiece. A pair of spaced wall sections extending from opposite margins of the base portion define an area for accommodating gripping elongated workpieces such as conduits, conductors and the like. The aforesaid wall sections are adapted to be temporarily spread apart for accommodating the workpieces, the free extremities or margins of said wall sections being provided with novel abutment means for preventing unauthorized lateral separation of the workpieces from the clip.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an improved clip device of the type set forth above, having a novel, structural arrangement for preventing unauthorized lateral dislodgement of an elongate element held between wall sections of the clip.

More specifically, it is an important object of the present lnention to provide a one piece clip device as set forth above wherein the free margins of the wall sections extendlng outwardly from a base may be temporarily sprung or shifted away from each other to permit lateral insertion therebetvveen of an elongate element, and which, upon springing back to normal adjacent position Wlll aggressively resist lateral separation of the element from the clip through the agency of a novel and efiiciently operable abutment arrangement located in the vicinity of the free extremities of said wall sections.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a one piece clip of the type referred to above which may be produced from flat stock such as sheet metal by the practice of conventional stamping and forming operations.

The foregoing, and other objects and advantages, will be more apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a clip device which is representative of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view as seen from the right of FIG. 2, when the clip is attached to an apertured workpiece and elongate elements such as conduits are securely held or gripped within the space defined by the wall sections;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 disclosing the manner in which the wall sections may be shifted away from each other temporarily to permit lateral insertion therebetween of an elongated element; and

Patent 0 H 3,50 1,1 17 Patented Mar. 17, 1970 FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6--6 of FIG. 2, more clearly to illustrate the novel arrangement of tongue and slot arrangement which, when separated, will permit elongate elements such as conduits, conductors and the like to be inserted laterally between the wall sections of the clip, and after such insertion will spring back to normal interlocked relation.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will be seen that a one piece clip device representative of one embodiment of the present invention is designated generally by the numeral 10. The clip 10 includes a base portion 12 and a shank portion 14 extending from one side of the base. The shank portion 14 is formed by two identical shank members 16, struck out from the areas 18 in wall sections 20. These wall sections 20 are formed integral with the base 12 and extend laterally of the base from opposite margins thereof, so as to provide a space or area 22 for accommodating elongate elements such as conductors or conduits, indicated by the numeral 24.

The shank sections 16 support laterally resilient work engaging or interlocking prongs 16a. When the shank portions 14 are initially inserted within a complementary aperture of a work piece or panel 26, the prongs 16a spring inwardly to permit telescopic association of the shank and spring outwardly into work engaging position when the shank has been fully inserted within the workpiece. In order to maintain engagement of the prongs 16a with the adjacent surface of the workpiece 26, arms 12a formed integral with and extending laterally from the margins of the base 12, resiliently or yieldably engage the surface of the workpiece 26 oppositely disposed from the surface engaged by the prongs 16a. In this manner the clip 10 is held securely upon the workpiece or panel 26.

Particular attention is directed to the structural arrangement of the free extremities of the wall sections 20. Due to the resilient hinged connection of the wall sections 2 0 with the opposite margins of the base or plate 12, said sections are adapted to be urged apart from the normal closed position shown in FIGS. 1-4 inclusive, to the open or spread apart position shown in FIG. 5. Thus the free extremities of the wall sections 20 may be temporarily spread apart so as to permit lateral insertion between said sections of elongate members or elements such as conduits, conductors and the like. The outer or free margins of each wall section 20 is flared outwardly so as to present a wing 20a. These wings 20a flare away from each other when the wall sections occupy their normal closed position, shown in FIGS. 14, inclusive, and provide a V-shaped trough for receiving an elongate element. To laterally insert the elongate members 24 it is only necessary to engage the inner surfaces of the wings 20a, and thus cause temporary separation of the free extremities of the wall sections 20. The resiliency of the clip wall section will cause said sections to spring back automatically to the closed position shown in the drawing after the element 24 has been moved past the wings 20a. When the wall sections 20 occupy their normal closed position, the inner surfaces of said wall sections bear against the adjacent peripheral surfaces of the elongate members 24. Also, in this position, locking prongs 20b struck from one of the wall sections and corresponding prongs 20c struck from the other wall section cooperate to prevent unauthorized lateral dislodgement of the elongate member 24 from the clip. FIG. 6 discloses clearly the manner in which the prongs 20b and 200 normally traverse the space between the adjacently positioned portions of the wall sections. Any tendency for the elongate members 24 to shift outwardly is blocked by the tongue and slot arrangement just described. The free extremities of the prongs or tongues 20b and 200 extend into struck out portions of the wall sections and actually underlie edges of the clip stock which define the struck out areas.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the present invention contemplates the provision of a very practical, novel clip device for supporting elongate elements such as conduits, conductors and the like. In fact, clips constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention have been successfully employed to support conduits or pipes for conducting cooling liquids. Such pipes are commonly referred to as cooler lines. In certain applications it has been found practical to accommodate one pipe having a diameter of .360 inches and a second smaller pipe of .296 inches in diameter. As disclosed in the drawing, such pipes may be locked in parallel relationship. The tongues or prongs 20b and 20c not only traverse the space between the wall sections in the vicinity of the outer extremity thereof, but also interlock .with the slots or struck out areas from which such prongs are formed. In this manner a positive interlock is established between the free extremities of the prongs 20b and 20c with their respective edges of the clip stock beneath which the prongs extend.

In the drawing elongate elements 24 of varying diameters are shown in association 'with the clip. Obviously the wall sections of the clip may be shaped to accommodate the size and shape of the elongate elements to be mounted. It has been found practical to form and stamp clip devices of the type described above from sheet metal stock. It should be understood however, that the inven' tion is not limited to the use of any particular material, but does contemplate the use of suitable stock having inherent properties of resilience to render such material usable as and for the purpose set forth above. It should also be noted that the prongs or tongues 20b and 200 not only extend laterally of the wall sections from which they are struck, but also are inclined toward the plane of the clip base to facilitate initial insertion of the elongate elements 24.

For purposes of illustration one practical embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, and it should be appreciated that other changes and modifications are contemplated hereby without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A one piece clip device for supporting elongate elements and the like including a base portion for association with one surface of an apertured workpiece, a shank portion extending from said base portion and having resilent shoulder means for interlocking with the opposite surface of said apertured workpiece when said shank portion is completely inserted within said work aperture, Wall sections extending from opposite margins of said base portion in a direction opposed to said shank portion and defining a space for accommodating an elongated work clement, portions in the vicinity of the free extremities of said wall sections being normally adjacently positioned and yieldably shiftable away from each other to permit lateral insertion therebetween of an elongate element, and abutment means associated with the free extremities of said wall sections adapted to traverse the area between said free extremities when an elongate element is positioned between and engaged by said wall sections wherein the abutment means includes prongs extending laterally of said wall sections and inclined toward the base portion whereby to prevent unauthorized dislodgement of said elements while facilitating lateral insertion thereof.

2. A one piece clip device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the abutment means associated with the free extremities of the wall sections include a plurality of prongs adapted to traverse the space between adjacently positioned portions of said wall sections.

3. A one piece clip device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the abutment means includes a plurality of prongs struck from the material of said wall sections.

4. A one piece clip device as set forth in claim 3, wherein the free extremities of each prong are normally positioned in underlying relation with respect to edges of the wall sections which define the areas from which the prongs are struck.

5. A one piece clip device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the free margins of the wall sections flare away from each other when said sections are in normal position.

6. A one piece clip device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the abutment means includes a pair of spaced prongs extending laterally of one wall section and a pair of spaced prongs extending laterally of the other wall section.

7. A one piece clip device as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the wall sections normally converge toward the free extremities thereof.

8. A one piece clip device as set forth in claim 1, wherein resilient Work engaging members are carried by the base portion and are normally biased laterally toward said base portion whereby to enhance resilient engagement thereof with the complementary surface of a work piece oppositely disposed with respect to the work surface adapted to be engaged by the shoulder means of the shank portion.

9. A one piece clip device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shank portion comprises elements struck from said wall sections.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,166,916 7/1939 Lombard 24874 X 2,267,586 12/1941 Del Camp 2473 2,819,858 1/ 1958 Mittendorf 24873 X 2,972,461 2/ 1961 Balbach 24868 3,066,903 12/ 1962 Tinnerman 24874 X 3,430,904 3/1969 Soltysik 24873 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

